NEW DELHI: In the third Test of the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, former Australia captain and wicketkeeper batsman Tim Paine said he didn’t regret sledging Ravichandran Ashwin since he felt the Indian off-spinner was “annoying” him by getting his wicket so often.
India overcame all odds to win the series 2-1 after losing the first game in Adelaide. Despite having a sore back, Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari batted for 42.4 overs to help draw the third Test in Sydney.
Paine began jabbing the Indian from behind the stumps as his bat failed to shatter Ashwin’s resolve. Before an over from off-spinner Nathan Lyon, Paine remarked, “I can’t wait to get you to the Gabba, Ash, I’ll tell you what, woohoo.”
Paine, however, has no regrets.
“No, I don’t because to this day Ashwin didn’t play in that (Brisbane) Test match. I wasn’t talking to the Indians, I was talking to him. I said we cannot wait to get you to the Gabba.
“…because he was annoying us, fair to say. He is a fantastic cricketer. He was getting me out all the time and that was annoying me as well,” Paine said in a podcast of ‘thegradecricketer’.
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Ashwin too replied in kind to Paine, saying: “Just like we wanna get you to India. That will be your last series.”
The Indian spinner was the target of the sledge, according to Paine.
“But no, that was purely directed straight at him and he pulled out of that Test match because of back spasm.”
“Did I had a great game in that match? No, but I fronted up. Actually day one of the Test match he (Ashwin) was jogging laps. Those back spasms couldn’t have been that bad,” he added.